Anybody who thought Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim would somehow pack up and go home in the face of blistering NCAA sanctions just doesn’t know Jim Boeheim.
Of course, he isn’t.
“There’s a lot of things to be said. It’s difficult right now,” the 70-year-old Boeheim told an audience of 700 at a banquet, according to Syracuse.com. “I think there’s a hell of a battle ahead of us.”
He paused for 10 seconds.
“I came here in 1962,” he said. “I’m not going anywhere.”
The crowd gave Boeheim a standing ovation for his comments.
The embattled Hall of Fame coach made his first public comments Sunday since the NCAA on Friday handed out its sanctions and said Boeheim “failed to monitor his program.” The sanctions include a nine-game suspension next season for Boeheim and multiple recruiting penalties, including the loss of 12 scholarships over four years.
The school was not given a postseason ban for 2016 after it self-imposed one for this season.
On Saturday, Syracuse assistant coach Mike Hopkins — Boeheim’s heir apparent — faced the press in lieu of Boeheim after Syracuse lost its season finale at N.C. State.
“I don’t think these players could’ve done much more given the set of circumstances that they dealt with this year on the basketball court,” Boeheim said. “It showed an awful lot of heart and determination and grit, and I think they should be saluted.”
Syracuse should actually be pretty good next year, and should still be able to compete for an NCAA Tournament bid. They return injured forwards Dajuan Coleman and Chris McCullough and have a four-man recruiting class featuring New Jersey guard Malachi Richardson, a McDonald’s All-American, and New Jersey power forward Moustapha Diagne.
All four recruits told Syracuse.com they will honor their Letters of Intent.
At that level, Boeheim and Syracuse can still win with 10 scholarship players going forward.
Had the Orange been given a postseason ban, it’s possible some would’ve asked out of their NLIs and that current players might opt to transfer.
Instead, they have a tough road ahead but not as bad as it would’ve been with an extended postseason ban.
Photo: Syracuse.com
